Monday, January 4, 2010

NFC East Champions But The Cowboys Want More

A three game winning streak to end the season. A blowout victory over the Eagles to avenge the season ending disaster last season. The #2 offense in the NFL. The #2 scoring defense in the NFL. Six pro bowlers. NFC East Champions. All of this sounds good doesn't it?

The Cowboys have achieved more than many of the preseason prognosticators ever imagined. I would like to point out that I picked the Cowboys to go 11-5...but I also picked them to win the Super Bowl the year before so I can't boast too much. Now I also predicted a playoff win so there is still some work to be done. And that is what the Cowboys are thinking as well.

All of the regular season accomplishments and accolades will be greatly diminished if the Cowboys can't find a way to put on a repeat performance against the Eagles Saturday night. But if they do win on Saturday they suddenly have a very real shot at greatness this season. I'm trying to look at this one game at a time but it is hard not to let your mind start playing out the playoffs. Minnesota will be next if the Cowboys win but we'll save that talk for next week.

It is pretty obvious that Tony Romo has turned into the quarterback that we were all starting to wonder if he could be. He is a playmaker who also knows how to protect the ball. His transformation is the biggest key to the success of the team this season. The defense has been great in the second half of the season but without Tony Romo this team would be nowhere near its current level.

After the blatant late hit by the Eagles defender late in the game it became obvious how important Tony Romo is (how do the officials miss that call by the way???). As he slowly got himself off the turf everyone was holding their breath knowing that he was the key to any potential playoff run. Turns out he is fine but for a few brief seconds images of Brad Johnson flashed through my head.

So now the Cowboys face the task of stomping out what remains of their demons of last season. The Eagles clearly did not play their best game on Sunday and you can be sure they'll be ready to go Saturday night. The Cowboys need to not just match but exceed the intensity of the Eagles just like they did on Sunday. I believe the Cowboys have superior talent and coaching but they have to prove it one more time.

There are a lot of fans who seem to have quickly forgotten what can happen when you face a team in the playoffs who you are facing for the third time. The 2007 season ended in a similar situation when the Giants pulled the upset after the Cowboys had swept the regular season games. I am sure that Andy Reid is looking at the tape and drawing up plays to expose any holes in the Cowboys defense. And you can be sure that Sean McDermott will be dialing up more blitzes this week after watching his defense get manhandled by the Cowboys offense.

Jason Garrett and Wade Phillips need to add some new wrinkles this week and I'm sure they know that. If they can do a few things to keep the Eagles off balance then I believe they will finally end this playoff drought talk that has been killing all of the loyal fans for 13 years. That is a long time to wait for your team to make a playoff run.

You know Donovan McNabb and the Eagles won't go quietly on Saturday. DeSean Jackson has to be contained again and Tony Romo has to keep beating the blitzes with quick passes to his wideouts and running backs. Something tells me that Roy Williams will be more involved this week because I'm guessing the Eagles will be ignoring him this week defensively after he was shut out. I like Roy's attitude but it seems like he and Martellus Bennett are the only two guys who can't find a grove with Tony Romo.

I'm trying to remember to enjoy the win and the NFC championship that the Cowboys just won, but I can't do it knowing that the game I have been waiting to see for 13 years is right around the corner. I hope the fans bring even more energy to the stadium this week because the team needs it. A playoff win is so close you can taste it. It feels like the big moment is finally here for the Dallas Cowboys but they have to go stomp the Eagles again to give everyone what they've been waiting for. I can't wait for Saturday night!

12 comments:

Nervous doesn't even come close to how I feel. I enjoyed that win for about an hour, and I can't stop thinking about Saturday. If the Eagles win, I don't know how long it will take me to get over it. It would be crushing. If they win, it's high hopes for the Super Bowl.

easy danny we all feel your pain. We are the better team and we might even have their number this year. But the cowboys have lost many games they should have won in their long history and have made grown men cry. But Danny boy this is our time enjoy the game you will like what you see GO COWBOYS

Witten, Witten, Witten and more Witten. Couple that with another solid rushing performance by Barber and Jones and you will see the field streached by Austin and Crayton again this Saturday. Austin may be the #1 reciever in most peoples eyes, and he is fantastic! But we all know how dangerous a well used Witten can be, especially against these Philly Eagles.

I just noticed that Romo threw the ball 550 times this year, and only had 9 ints. Just amazing. Once the team starts throwing more deep balls, his stats next year might be even better. I'm sick of all the talk about how everything is Romo's fault. Without him, their record might 5-11 instead of 11-5.

Like you guys (and every other Cowboy fan) I'm nervous/excited for Saturday night. I don't think I've ever wanted a win more badly in my life. Just think of how far this one win would go in terms of changing the perception of the Cowboys -- a perception that we're all sick of hearing about. Sooo much is riding on this game, it's kind of overwhelming to think about.

It's hard to be both optimistic and a Cowboys fan, but I'm starting to believe in this team (as I'm usually as skeptical as it gets, knowing full well their penchant for breaking our hearts). If the game last Sunday were close, I'd be a lot more concerned about Saturday's contest; but we DOMINATED the Eagles in all three phases. Think about that for a second: we shut out one of the most prolific offenses in the NFL. They were frustrated, confused and mentally broken. That has to be a factor, considering they're playing the same team, six days later. Mike Jenkins said that the formations and schemes might change, but they're still the same team and the Cowboys seem to have them figured out.

I sincerely hope we're all here celebrating next week. This game is gigantic for a multitude of reasons.

PS: I know we all like to crucify Phillips and Garrett, but let's give them credit for calling a great game last week. Moreover, I don't think Wade gets enough credit for how well he's managed this defense. I think the emergence of Mike Jenkins and Anthony Spencer have a lot to do with our head coach. Just food for thought...

Just wanted to let you know how much I enjoy your site. You seem to have a accurate pulse on the Cowboys. Your comments are lucid and well put together just wish a few of the posters on the cowboy site could learn from your example.

Saturday night is going to define the Cowboys for the next 5-10 years on how this team is going to fare. Is this group of Cowboys going to make a Super Bowl run, win a few playoff games, or fall flat on their faces @11 pm Saturday night? Time will tell......

So. I'm going to have to disagree with you my friends. I think the cowboys will dominate all the way to the superbowl. I read a good article on how the turning point for Romo was trusting witten and austin. I think so. As long as he doesn't decide he needs to change that and felix jones doesn't get hurt. I think we will be in the superbowl. Really there are no threats for us to face besides the cardinals. Saints we have their number. We found and exploited their weaknesses and they haven't changed them yet. (hence their losing streak) Favre doesn't do well against good D. Not to mention Dallas D. I see a win there.

Cardinals are the only threat left and maybe chargers. Cardinals because their defence is set up to close the screen passes down. No moe witten. or a very limited one. So we have austin and crayton and hopefully ogletree. We can rely on austin but the problem there lies in the fact that 1 man can't carry a team. Crayton will do good because he wil lbe inspired to do good. As I find most often times when he doesn't perform he seems unhappy and not driven to play. Williams needs to be benched for awhile and have some extensive practice time with romo over the off season. Ogletree I really do like. but thats just personal.

I agree with you, I think that the Cowboys can win each of the next three NFC games by 10 or more points.

I think the Cardinals are one of our biggest threats, but I think the Packers can be too. Yes we did (like we did with most every team other thant he Giants) limit their offense. But they shut our offense down as well.